Apparatus for unloading high-explosive shells



May 6 1924.

R. H. BOTS APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING HIGH EXPLOSIVE SHELLS Filed April 17. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l unmln mm WN NM Q E- H wm 1v VENTOR v A TTOR NE Y s May 6 1924. 1,492,958

R. H. BOTS APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING HIGH EXPLOSIVE SHELLS- Filed April 17. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR By a A TTORNEYJ V May 6 1924. 1,492,958

3. H. BOTS APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING HIGH EXPLOSIVE SHELLS Filed April 17. 1923- 1 "3 Sheets-Sheet 5 N IN VEN TOR Ric/gardflfiqf A TTORNEYS Patented May 6, 1924.

RICHARD H. BOTS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 1'0- COLUHBIA SALVAGE CORPORA- TION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COBPURATION NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING HIGH-H081 SHELLS.,

Application m A x-1117,1928. SerialRo.882,711

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. Bo'rs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in A paratus for Unloadin High-Explosive hells, of which the Iollowing is .a specification.

The main object of this invention is to provide a new and useful apparatus for unloading high explosive shells. It is necessary that the entire high explosive charge be removed from the shells in order that the empt shells may be safely melted or reduce in a blast furnace or otherwise. The

materials forming the charge are valuable and may be used conunercially when separated.

A. high explosive shell for artillery use, consists, ordinarily, of a hollow steel shell filled with a charge of high explosive, said char e being substantially solid-when cooled and orming a practically homogeneous hard mass which substantially fills the shell. The shell is usually ointed at one end and said pointed end is nown as the nose. In the nose is formed a longitudinally extending threaded aperture in which is screwed a flanged adapter ring; and said ring carries a booster casing and a fuse. Before the shells can be unloaded, that is to say, the charge removed, the adapter ringcarrying the booster casing and the booster char e must be removed. The fuse, or fuse stock, is inserted only when making the shell read for firing.

A great many of these high exp osive shells are charged with amatol, pure trinitrotoluol (TNT), picric acid, ammonium picrate or with a mixture of TNT and icric acid. Amatol is a mixture of ammonium nitrate and TNT in proper pro ortions. These high explosivecharges are uid or semi-fluid at certain temperatures and are usually poured into the shell in a fluid or semi-fluid state. When the charge cools it solidifies within the shell and becomes a substantially solid and homogeneous mass of material which completely fills the entire shell except for a small space at the nose which space is designed to receive the booster casing,

The main purpose of this invention is to provide an apparatus for safelly, completely and quickly removing high exp osive c arges from the shells, and separatin the TNT from the other elements of the c arge.

In the drawings, Fig. 1' is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, artly. in side elevation, of an apparatus or "carrying out the invention;

Fig. 2 a plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 a vertical sectional view. taken on 1' the line 33 of Fig. 2: and 1 Fig. 4 a vertical transverse sectional .view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

In carryin out this invention the adapter ring and the ooster casing are first removed thereby leaving the aperture in the nose of the shell 0 en so that access may be had therethroug to the interior of the shell. The shells are arranged in an inverted posi tionwith their open pointed ends downwardl The inverted shells may be supports in a rack 1 which is provided with a ertures throu h which the body of the s ell may pass base, is provided with a ring designed to take "the rifiing in the gun barrel and this ring forms a convenient shoulder to engage the upper surface of the rack so that the shell will be suspended. in the opening 'in the rack. The rack may be of any desired size to support a number of shells in inverted position. The rack 1 is preferably supported in a tank 2. As shown in the drawmg the ends of the rack rest on brackets secured to the sides of the tank so that the rack ma be bodily removed from the tank. The rac may be filled with shells before it is placed in the tank or the shells may be placed individually in the rack within the tank. The tank is rovided with a cover 3 which may be clos after the rack and the shells are in place. A suitable quantity of water is placed in the tank and the water level is maintained just below the lower open ends of the shells in the rack. It is desirable to maintain an air space between the lower ends of the shells and the surface of the water. The outlet 4 is arranged to maintain the proper constant water level Within the tank.

Extending through the tank, below the water level is a steam pi e 5 which may be connected to any suitab e source of steam pressure. The pipe 5 is provided with upwardly extending vertical steam nozzles 6.

reely. Each shell, near its the tank. One nozzle is 1 casin shells when the shells are in position within rovided for each shell and its upper end is directed to the center of the 0 ening in the shell. The nozlow the water level, that iszles terminate I to say, the nozzles are submerged at the normal water level in the tank. In the lower part of the tank, above its bottom, is .ar-

.ranged a steam coil 7. This coil maybe connected to any suitable steam sup ly. As

shown in the drawings this steam 001 is conneeted to the upper part of the tank by means of a sup lied wi steam from the steam sugply in t e tank above the water. The en of the coil is carried out from the tank in the form of a discharge nozzle 9 in order to insure the circulation of steam throu h the heating coil. The bottom of the tank is pro-.

vided with an outlet 10 which is connected to the means for se arating the TNT from the other materials orming the charge. The outlet 4 is protected by a'water seal or trap 11 to revent the escape oi steam therethrong In operation the adapter ring and booster must be first removed from the shell. The s ells in this condition are inverted and placed in the rack 1 with their lower open ends directly over the steam .nozzles 6. Suflicient water is laced in the tank to bring the water leve up to normal, which will be below the lower ends of-the shells. The cover 3 of the tank 2 is then closed. Steam is now admitted to the pipe 5 and blows out through the nozzles 6. The steam level will be eventually filled with steam and will-serve to heat the exterior of the shells. Steam will fiow from this steam space of the tank thorugh the pipe 8 into the coil 7 and serve as an additional means for heating the water. The water level will 1 be maintained substantially uniform and a. normal by an out flow through the overflow pipe 4. It is manifest that as the charge from the shells drop down into the water, and as the steam condenses, the water level would rise if it' were not for the overflow pipe 4.

The incipal function of the steam'coil 7 is to eep the water in the tank near its boiling point and, at the same time, to keep the TNT in a melted condition. By keeppipe 8 so that said coil will be t aaeaace ingl the water near its boiling point'there, wi be very little condensation from the steamjets. The result of this is that; when an amatol charge is treated, an ammonium nitrate solution is obtained which is concentrated and a ood marketable product.

The TNT of t e ex losive charge will drop to the bottom of t e tank and will be maintained at a high temperature, or at a sufiicient temperature to keep it liquid, by

the steam coil 7. The steamin operation removed and a rack of untreated shells.

placed in the tank.

The agparatus shown in the drawings and V describe herein forliquefying and removing the charges from the shells is shown 'in my co-pending application, Serial #629,364,,filed April 2, 1923 and will not be claimedherein. 1

The apparatus for separating the TNT from the other materials of the charge consists of an open main settling tank 15 which receives the TNT from' the outlet 10, said outlet entering the :tank 15 near its bottom. Close to the tank 15 is arranged a deep settlin well 16 which is considerably below the ottom of the settling tank. The bottom ofthe settling tank is in connection with the. settling well through pipe 17, said pi e entering the settling well a considerabe distance above the bottom thereof. Extending centrally down in the settling well 16 is a discharge pipe 18, theilower end of said pipe being open and arranged closeto the bottom'of the well. The upper end of this discharge pipe is carried out through the side of the settling well near the top thereof and its outer end is provided with a discharge nozzle-19, preferably a length of rubber hose. This discharge nozzle is arranged to deliver material into the boxes 20' arranged on a conveyor 21, of any suit able form. The boxes are arranged to be passed under the nozzle 19 to be filled and then moved along on the conveyor.

Arranged in the main settling tank 15 is a steam coil 22 .for the purpose of keeping the contentsheated to the desired temperature so that the TNT'therein will remain fluid. A heating coil 23 extends down to the bottom of the settling well 16 for the purpose of maintaining the TNT fluid and at the desired temperature. The steam pipe 5 and the coils 22 and 23 are suitably connected to a steam generator 24.

The TNT is of greater specific gravity than the other materials in the explosive charges and will drop to the bottom of the tank 15 and pass from there into the settling well. When the apparatus is initially charged thesettling tank and the well 16 will be filled with water to the level of the overflow pipe 4 and this level will be maintained, the overflow pipe 4 preventing any material rise of the water level in any of the connected tanks.

The discharge pipe 18 is so arranged and proportioned as to length that the column of liquid in the settling well will be of sufficient height to force the TNT from the bottom of the settling well up through the discharge pipe and out through the nozzle 19. The column of TNT will be maintained substantially uniform in height for the reason that when said column reaches a predetermined height within the well it will be of suflicient weight with the added weight to the other liquid in the well, to cause the TNT to move upwardly through the discharge pipe and this discharge will be automatic and continuous so long as the TNT is discharged into the well through pipe 17 from the settling tank.

The liquid in the tank 2 above the liquid TNT on the bottom of the tank, will contain a certain amount of TNT which will be carried with said liquid throughthe overflow pipe 4. This TNT is usually mixed with foreign matter and it s desirable to recover it se arately and independently of the purer T T which passes to the settling tank 15. The overflow or discharge through pipe 4 is carried into supplemental settling tanks 25 and 26. These tanks are connected together by an overflow pipe 27. Tank 26 is provided with a discharge pipe 28, this latter pipe and pipes 27 and 4 being all on the same level so that the level of the liquid in all of the tanks will be the same. In the tanks 25 and 26 are arranged pipe coils 29, said coils being connected to the steam generator and to a cold water supply by suitable pipes. In these connections are arranged valves 30 and 31 by means of which cold water or steam may be admitted to the coils 29 as desired and for the purpose hereinafter described.

A sup lemental settling well 32 is arranged c ose t0 the settling tank 25, and the bottom of the latter tank is connected to the settling well by a pipe 33. The supplemental settling well is precisely like the settling well 16 and is provided with a discharge pipe 34. The main and supplemental settling tanks are provided with water jackets 35 around their lower portions and these water jackets are provided with steam coils 36 for the purpose of maintaining them at the proper temperature to keep the TNT in said wells fluid. The coils 36 are connected to the steam supply through pipes 37.

Some TNT either in suspension or in solution, will pass through the overflow pipe 4 to the settling tanks 25 and 26. The TNT in suspension will gradually settle to the bottom of said tanks. To assist in throwing TNT which will settle in the tanks 25 and 26 contains foreign materials and is therefore of lower quality than the TNT discharged from the main settling well 16 and for that reason it is desirable to discharge it separately, and keep it from mingling with the better grade of material. After the TNT has been discharged from the tanks 25 and 26 the steam supply is out 01f from the coils 29 and cold water again supplied thereto.

The discharge through pipe 28 is delivered into a collecting tank 38 from which it may be pumped into a large storage tank 39.

The materials other than TNT contained in the explosive charges will be in solution in the liquid in tanks 25 and 26, and of course in tank 2, and the outflow from tank 26 may be treated in any suitable manner if it be desired to recover those materials from that liquid.

What I cla1m is:

1. An apparatus for separating liquid TNT from liquids of lighter specific gravity, comprising a settling tank, a settling well the bottom of said well being below the bottom of the settling tank, a pipe connection from the bottom of thesettling tank to the settling well said pipe entering the settling well a considerable distance above the bottom thereof, means for maintaining a normal liquid level in said well, and a discharge pipe in the settling well the lower end of said pipe being open and arranged near the bottom of the settling well, the upper end of said discharge pipe being carried through the wall of the settling well above the connection between the tank and the well and below the normal liquid level 4 near the bottom of the settling well, the

u or end of said discharge pipe being carrid d through the wall of the settlin well above the connection between the ta and the well and below the normal liquid level of said well, and heating coils in said tank and in said well.

3. An apparatus for separating liquid TNT from liquids of lighter specific avity, comrising a settling tank, a sett 'n well the ottom of said well being below t e bottom of the settling tank, a ipe connection from the bottom of the sett ingtank to the settling well said pipe entering the settling well a considerable distance above the bottom thereof, means for maintaining a normal liquid level in said well, a discharge pipe in the settling well the lower end of said pipe being 0 en and arranged near the bottom of the settling well, the upper end of said discharge pipe being carried through the wall of the settling well a above the connection between the tank and the wall and below the normal liquid livel of said well, heating coils in said tank and in said well, a water jacket surrounding the well below its connection with the settling tank, and means v for heating the water in said jacket.

4. An apparatus for separating liquid TNT from liquids of lighter specific gravity, comprising a primary tank, means for accumulating in said tank the liquids to be separated, a settling tank, a connection from the bottom of the primary tank to the settling tank near the ottom of the latter tank, a settling well the bottom of said well being below the bottom of the settling tank, a connection from the bottom of the settling tank to the settling well said connection being a considerable distance above the bottom of said well, an overflow connection from the primary tank to maintain a substantially constant liquid level therein and in the settlin tank and well, a discharge pipe in.the

sett g well the lower end of said pip-e be-- ing open and arranged near the bottom of said well, the upper end of said discharge pipe being carried out of the settling well above the connection with the settling tank and below the normal liquid level, and means for maintaining the liquid at the desired temperature.

5. An apparatus for separating liquid TN T from liquids of lighter specific gravity, comprising a primary tank, means for accumulating in said tank the liquids to be separated, a settling tank, a connection from the bottom of the rimary tank to the settling tank near the bottom of the latter tank, a settling well the bottom of said'well being below the bottom of the settling tank, a con-' nection from the bottom of the settling tank to the settling well said connection being a Q tling tank near the considerable distance above the bottom of said well, an overflow connection from the primary tank to maintain a substantially constant liquid level therein and the settl' tank and well, a discharge pipe in the sett ing well the lower end of said pipe beopen and arranged near the bottom of said well, the upper end of said discharpipe being carried out of the settling we above the connection with the settling tank and below the normal liquid level, means for maintaining the liquid at the desired temperature, and means for maintaining in the psrimary tank aconstant supply of liqui to be separate-d.

6. An a aratus for separating liquid TNT from iquids of lighter specific gravity, comprising aprimary tank, means for accumulating in said tank the liquids to be separated, a settling tank, a connection from the bottom of the rintary tank to the setttom of the latter tank, a settling well the bottom of said well being below the bottom of the settling tank, a conneotion from the bottom of the settling tank to the settling well said connection being a considerable distance above the bottom of said well, an overflow connection from the primary tank to maintain a substantially constant liquid level therein and in the settling tank and well, a discharge pipe in the settling weii the lower end of sand pipe being open and arranged near the bottom of said well, the up 1' end of said discharge pipe being carrie out of the settling well above the connection with the settling tank and below the normal liqud level, means for maintaining the liquid at the desired temperature, means for maintaining in the primary tank .a constant supply of liquids to be separated, a supplemental settling tank, means connecting said tank to the overflow from the primary tank, a supplemental settling well the bottom of said well being below the bottom of the supplemental settling well said connection being a considerable distance above the bottom of said supplemental well, an overflow connection from the supplemental settling tank to maintain a su stantially constant liquid level therein and in the supplemental well, and a discharge pipe in the supplemental settling well the lower end of said pipe being open and arra near the bottom of said supplementa weil, the upper end of said discharge ipe being carried out of the supplemental well above the connection with the supplemental settling tank and below the normal liquid level of said well.

in testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my siature.

RICD H. BOTS. 

